2019 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang

Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severly low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.

Pur Sang (French for thoroughbred) is a superstar in the Dagueaneau cellar, and is widely considered one of the great white wines of the world. It comes from a densely planted, 30 year old vineyard in Saint-Laurent-l’Abbaye called La Folie (the madness), hidden between two parcels of woodland about five kilometres north of Saint-Andelain. The vineyard is named for the local farmers, who thought Didier Dagueneau was mad when he purchased the land which was not a vineyard at the time and full of huge boulders. Back then it was not even registered as part of the Pouilly-Fumé AOC. It turns out that Didier had done his homework; not only was La Folie a historical Pouilly vineyard, but its vein of pure flint and Ludian silica clay (chaille roulées) as well as its gently sloping south/south-east exposure, made it potentially one of Pouilly’s finest.

Other Reviews....
What I love most about the 2019 Pur Sang is its focus and precision; the compact, light bodied core carries masses of fragrance across the palate and beyond on the long finish. There's clarity and freshness, with a thread of acidity and minerality pulling the wine through like a needle and thread. It is starting to show the very first hints of time in bottle with a hint of almond alongside the ripe melon notes and nettle tea character. Impressive stuff from this three-hectare parcel in the village of Saint Laurent l'Abbaye, about 5km northeast of the Dagueneau domaine. Drink 2022-2034.
96 points
Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous